If you work in customer strategy, sales, service or marketing, there is a high probability that you stay up to date on the latest developments in your field of expertise. You read articles like this. You visit conferences. You talk to colleagues in other companies to exchanges hints, tips and practices.

So you are ready to transform your organization? You want your organization to leapfrog the industry? You want to deliver above industry average growth? And do you know what are the most common mistakes that leaders and even very smart and experienced leaders make? The most common one is sticking with the usual way, the easy way and the proven way.

What do you think would happen if during an offsite meeting, 6 members of your 10-people strong management team came up with the most brilliant brand and customer strategy on the planet. In fact it was so brilliant, that it would give Apple, Google and Amazon a run for their money. It would go down in history as the best strategy every written.

Charles Erwin Wilson, Eisenhower’s Secretary of Defense is credited with the quote, “What’s good for General Motors is good for the country.” In fact, what he said was actually the inverse (that what was good for the country was good for GM), but no matter, both statements had an element of truth.

Welcome to my newest Brand Experience Brief, a video audit and analysis of a new or interesting retail or restaurant concept. Today you can take a look at Sport Chalet flagship store located in the Fig@7th shopping centre in downtown Los Angeles, CA.

Andrew Mounier of CMO Brain recently asked to interview me so he could pick my brain about customer experience, and I happily accepted. Any time someone wants to talk about customer experience - any opportunity to continue to spread the word about its importance - I'm up for it!